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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day' June 15: Tips for recognizing abuse and avoiding home-care nightmares, addressing hot trends in assisted living

The gray world is becoming grayer ... by 2025, the global population of those 60 years old and older is predicted to reach about 1.2 billion, more than double from 1995 (according to the World Health Organization).

 Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are facing some difficult times, including:

  * deciding about care for elderly parents/loved ones;

  * making sense of Medicare and long-term care insurance;

  * spending their inheritance to pamper loved ones; and

  * identifying elder abuse (physical, psychological, financial, neglect,

    etc.).

Elder abuse is so prevalent that June 15 has been proclaimed the inaugural "World Elder Abuse Awareness Day" to help draw attention to this growing problem.

* Recognizing abuse - signs to look for and what steps to take;

* Hot trends in assisted living - this is not your Grandfather's nursing home ... we're talking "plush and pampered" senior accommodations;

* Avoiding home-care nightmares - from choosing a facility/home-care provider to verifying agency licenses, valid driver's licenses and criminal background checks ... and from making sure the agency is bonded against potential theft or property damage and provides "non-owned auto coverage" to prevent a potential claim on a personal auto policy; and

* Understanding long-term care insurance - setting the record straight ... it's for in-home care, too.